Blues bash Saders
1 Mar 2013
Rene Ranger rocked in the Blues fabulous win against the Crusaders.
The Blues scored five unanswered tries in a 34-15 win and Ranger was influential in attack and especially in defence.
The hosts, who scored a bonus-point win against the Hurricanes in Wellington a week ago, had the bonus point for four tries within the hour.
The new coaching staff of John Kirwan, Mick Byrne and Graeme Henry have made an immediate impact and turned a decade of home team Blues into a night of bliss.
The Blues led 20-12 at halftime and Dan Carter reduced the deficit to five points early in the second half, but that was the last of the Crusaders threat as the Blues combined brutal defence with clinical finishing to dominate the match and the result.
Carter’s goalkicking and Matt Todd’s tireless efforts at the breakdown were the only positives for the visitors, who played like a team who hadn’t had a competitive match for some time. This was the Crusaders tournament opener and they were shocking.
Israel Dagg, playing on the wing, had a night to forget and so did most of his teammates as the Blues physicality in defence forced mistake after mistake. The Crusaders made 12 handling errors compared to the four of the Blues.
The home team promised to give it a full crack on attack, as they did against the Canes a week ago, but it has been their desire on defence that has defined the two bonus-point wins in the last fortnight.
Ali Williams was inspirational as captain, Chris Noakes was composed at flyhalf, Ranger was ruthless in everything he did and the back three were lethal with ball in hand.
The Crusaders were too lateral on attack, the running lines of the support runner was poor and physically they were never in the contest in the collisions.
Dagg controversially was denied a try by a TMO ruling that would have made the score 27-20 with 10 minutes to go but the Blues immediately scored a seven pointer from 80 metres as the scoreboard reflected the on-field superiority of the hosts.
Piri Weepu, good in most aspects, succeeded with only two from six strikes, which gives an indication of just how messy it got for the Crusaders. Had Weepu been more accurate the scoreline could have been closer to 50 than 30.
By Mark Keohane
377 Comments
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1 Mar 2013, 10:41 am
@S_K-300: LOL! You’re trying really hard to convince yourself, eh? ROFL!
1 Mar 2013, 10:41 am
@grant10-293:
Do you not constantly say you “hate” Kiwi rugby teams?
Confused now or just conflicted?
1 Mar 2013, 10:42 am
Last year Blues had Ranger and Nonu in midfield and they lost more than they won. Now Nonu gone to Highlanders and Nonu still on losing side while Rangers side is winning. Shows who’s the better rugby player Nonu or Ranger. I’d have Ranger in my side any day he brings more than just brute force in the tackle point he always makes something out of an opportunity and he’s more effective on the ground and at the breakdown. He’s a combination of SBW and Nonu together that’s Rene Ranger. With SBW lost to boxing and league Rene Ranger should have been contracted by ABs last year already.
1 Mar 2013, 10:42 am
Yeehah Blues……Now for the Hurricanes to take out the Reds…tough ask at Lang Park
1 Mar 2013, 10:45 am
@skopdiekan-303:
Seems like he had some issues to sort out last season but right now he’s brimming with confidence and his natural game’s just flourishing.
1 Mar 2013, 10:47 am
@the curse-296: @Te Rangatira-283: @CSI:Rugby-258:
Congratulations Blue Bellies and to All Jaffa’s, wherever they may be.
1 Mar 2013, 10:49 am
Ooops forgot the smillie.
1 Mar 2013, 10:51 am
@Bouts-301: On the sky version of boots and all:’somehow chillyboy got awarded a try being three metres offside’.
1 Mar 2013, 10:55 am
Well done to the Blues, my Super Bru starts good, although i only had the Blues by 7
1 Mar 2013, 10:56 am
My my my.
A few more weeks of this sort of play “win or lose” will go a long way toward scraping the stain of Nucifora and Lam from my image of what Blues rugby is about.
1 Mar 2013, 10:59 am
Wow, Saders got their asses kicked, woop woop!
1 Mar 2013, 11:00 am
@Jeez-284:
They did try to help the Lions, they gave them **** Muir, look how well that turned out…. No boet, I don’t think any franchise will be accepting any more help from SARU, they might go winless for an entire season.
1 Mar 2013, 11:01 am
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-309:
My betting syndicate has a clean sweep of home team wins this round.
Nice start against the bookies odds leaves a warmish feeling.
1 Mar 2013, 11:03 am
@Brads-310:
I was very impressed last week Brads,
did not see tonights game ………………………………….but wtf, this is impressive stuff.
Ted will be loving this.
1 Mar 2013, 11:06 am
@Te Rangatira-304:
Well done to the Blues. I certainly picked the right NZ to root for this season. But I will be a Bulls man next week, am still a Saffa after all… Best of luck for the rest of the season.
1 Mar 2013, 11:13 am
@goodstuff-311:
You are bang on there.
There is no disguising the thumping that went on here.
1 Mar 2013, 11:16 am
@Brads-313: lol yeah prolly the route to go. I have the Canes to beat the Reds, Canes away! just my gut feeling that Canes gonna be angry after losing at home last weekend and also they have a very good record against the Reds.
1 Mar 2013, 11:22 am
@mxhosa: SARU didn’t recommend Muir, Jake White”s Winning Ways did, they recommended that Loffie be bulletted & Muir take over.
1 Mar 2013, 11:25 am
@Transformation-318:
I liked Loffie.
1 Mar 2013, 11:27 am
Sharks or Stormers, the real Humdinger of the Weekend!
For more check out – http://wp.me/P2QxT1-5x
1 Mar 2013, 11:41 am
lekker for my superbru!! although ~I didn’t predict the scoreline…
1 Mar 2013, 11:41 am
@Scorp1o-320: why are you punting your variety sports site on keo’s blog?
1 Mar 2013, 11:54 am
There goes my super bru.
1 Mar 2013, 12:01 pm
and rebels got the ‘tahs naaied for now, too!! YEEHAW!!
1 Mar 2013, 12:06 pm
It’s down to the NZRU. Too many NRL franchises are coming to the NRL area these days. School boy rugby players are getting contracts at such early ages these days they are all converting to League for the cash.
1 Mar 2013, 12:07 pm
Great win by the Blues. Definitely the team to watch this year after last year’s Lam(e) debacle.
Defnite prospect for a top 6 finnish, if not NZ conference winner.
NZ to have three teams in the top 6: Chiefs; Blues; Saders
Aus: Brumbies
SA: Stormers
Bulls, Sharks, Reds to fight it out for 6th place.
1 Mar 2013, 12:07 pm
Told you guys that the Blues will start winning again the moment I saw Teddy is back as a tech advisor.
BOOM
1 Mar 2013, 12:27 pm
So this will be the heading everytime the Bull, Blues or the Brumbies win a match.
Bulls/Blues/Brumbies bash…….. (insert opponent)
1 Mar 2013, 12:42 pm
The effect of changing the coaches is in evidence
Basically same players as under Lam, just one year older.
And no passengers under Kirwan either, the Stormers should take a note
1 Mar 2013, 12:46 pm
@Hondo-329:
Ahhhh…
Polynesian coach = kak Blues team
White coach = very good Blues team
It makes sense.
How do you explain the players away?
1 Mar 2013, 12:52 pm
@nama1-330: Now you’ve confused him…… Mormon ^5 for Hondo.
1 Mar 2013, 12:55 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-331: Confusing the likes of him and HG is the easy part. The rest is a waste of precious air
1 Mar 2013, 12:57 pm
@nama1-330:
Just an observation at this stage, Lam cost the Auckland RU arm and leg during his tenure in financial losses.
Polynesian players are a threat to the likes of Mvovo, Ndungane, Aplon, Basson etc who were all injured by them but as a whole they don’t make a Rugby Union team a better one, they do have an impact on rugby league though but I never watched that dregs anyway so I can’t comment other than saying only one League convert Brad Thorn was an unqualified success, the rest like Tukiri, SBW and few others came and gone but never materialised to their potential
1 Mar 2013, 13:01 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-331:
You are seeing things baba
Better try making some money out of that rugby although with the lack of upsets it’s not easy, most are out of their league there,,,,,
Try cricket!
1 Mar 2013, 13:09 pm
@Hondo-333: You need help Hondo. Your lies and racism must weigh you down.
1 Mar 2013, 13:56 pm
@mikeybrass-332:
Hondo is at least predictable….there is security in that… 
HG, Tyron, ET etc……. permanent pre menstrual tantrums, which has them flip flopping a lot.
I Prefer Hondo’s ‘stability’
1 Mar 2013, 14:20 pm
@nama1-330: It’s Lam and it’s Kirwan, mate. Whatever their race might be, who cares (apart from race obsessed), results and playing style shows who’s better for the team – basically the same.
You think otherwise?
1 Mar 2013, 14:20 pm
@polaris-337: basically the same team, that is.
1 Mar 2013, 14:48 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-336: Hondo doesn’t have typing diahorrea
1 Mar 2013, 15:26 pm
@Hondo-333: the Saders had less PIs how do you explain that the Blues won?
my noney depends on your analyses!
1 Mar 2013, 15:35 pm
@Transformation-340:
They don’t any run drugs and PED tests in NZ yet, but just wait
In Aus a drugs and corruption commission disclosed that 80% of Rugby League players are users, sound a good corrolation to me
1 Mar 2013, 15:41 pm
@Hondo-341: aaahhh the blues are doped up!
1 Mar 2013, 16:13 pm
@Transformation-342: Hondo is doped up on Panados and Essentiale. Hondo I find amusing to be honest…Only here for the ‘shock value’ (except his value has plummefuckingted)
The other creeps are here because they truly believe in their policies….
1 Mar 2013, 16:38 pm
@Hondo-333: “but as a whole they don’t make a Rugby Union team a better one”
Eh? Who do then as a whole?
1 Mar 2013, 17:08 pm
@polaris: umm pakehas?
1 Mar 2013, 17:19 pm
@Transformation-345: You said that.
I’d say they just make a majority that’s it. Plenty of goodies, some even greats and even more average ones. The same applies to the players … ahem …. painted using different color.
Specifically regarding the Lam-Kirwan debate, it’s clear that Kirwan is a fresh air after recent nadir, it remains to be seen how long, but start looks encouraging. I would not imply in any way it has anything to do with his color though – rather his brains and assistants.
1 Mar 2013, 17:40 pm
Awesome start to this weekends super rugby.
What does tomorrow hold for us? http://itsallabouttherugby.wordpress.com
1 Mar 2013, 18:16 pm
So the meeting is over and all I have is time to lunch and thereafter an easy,non-demanding afternoon.
So fun time is what it will mostly be and especially for one or other loser group.
The loser group will need some TLC and that help and understanding can come from SoulFire that those Sydenham boys put together so well.
1 Mar 2013, 19:03 pm
The Durban game is no big mystery despite all the distortions and lies propounded over days.
Whoever will be the General will be in the winning team.
Fortunately whoever effects the typical S.African bumping and grinding better will have a more positive outcome for who will be the General.
It is as simple as that and no amount of underdog or top dog will have a bearing on the day.
1 Mar 2013, 20:22 pm
this is a skop-ism: ” Whoever will be the General will be in the winning team. Fortunately whoever effects the typical S.African bumping and grinding better will jave a more positive outcome for who will be the General.”
noncommittal, no ballas to make a call, draadsitting of the highest order, all in the interest of maintaining a delusion of kenner-ship.
so see-through
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